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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell children off for throwing stones at a cat

38 replies

Tsil · 01/08/2011 18:42

I live on a small new build estate, there are loads of children running around screaming and generally being kids which is fine. Except I just came home and found a few of them throwing stones at a cat that was hiding under a caravan. This makes my blood boil, animal cruelty is not on in any shape or form. So I walked up and calmly stated 'don't throw stones at the cat, ive just seen you do it and it isn't nice'. They looked at me sheepishly and I walked away and left it at that.

I don't know the children in question so was IBU to say something?

OP posts:
Tchootnika · 01/08/2011 18:44

YANBU.

BeerTricksPotter · 01/08/2011 18:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fastweb · 01/08/2011 18:46

No not at all.

Has kitty emerged yet ?

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 18:48

No I definitely didn't shout, I wouldn't at other people's children.

OP posts:
TidyDancer · 01/08/2011 18:49

YANBU. Children can be truly vile sometimes.

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 18:50

Fastweb - yes legged it as soon as they stopped.

OP posts:
LostMyIdentityAlongTheWay · 01/08/2011 18:52

Totally endorse you. If I was told that my children had been doing that, they would have encountered the most almighty bollocking from me. Well done you! (awards shiny 'best neighbour cat defender' sticker...)

HeatherSmall · 01/08/2011 18:53

I wouldn't have been as nice as you were .... keep an eye on them animal cruelty is a sign of more sinister behavior lurking underneath in some cases.

Tchootnika · 01/08/2011 18:54

You definitely did the right thing in saying something - and very well done for not shouting. (I think I'd have had trouble not getting quite upset.)

Your OP is interesting - I think there's something a bit sad, though, that generally we feel so unsure about saying something mildly 'negative' to people we don't know (if they're children). I can't see how you did anything wrong at all, and not saying anything would be much more unreasonable, I think.

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 18:55

Heather - if their parents knock on the door thats what I plan to tell them Grin although I am sure that they won't as the children would need to tell their parents what they had done first.

OP posts:
MixedClassBaby · 01/08/2011 18:55

YANBU. I would have done the same.

exoticfruits · 01/08/2011 18:55

That was fine. You would have been unreasonable not to say anything. The DCs knew they were in the wrong and it is good for them to know that any adult will tell them so.

catgirl1976 · 01/08/2011 18:56

YANBU and you were very restrained. (More than I could have been I think)

BooyHoo · 01/08/2011 18:57

yanbu i hate seeing this and have stopped children a few times.

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 18:57

Tchootnika - I know it is sad, when I was younger and had done something like this I would have expected a damn site worse than I gave them even from a stranger, but alas our society isn't like that anymore.

OP posts:
Mitmoo · 01/08/2011 18:59

YABU!!!!!!!!!! You should have got your mobile out, videod them, stuck in on you tube, let your facebook friends know and waited for it go viral.

The Coventry Cat in the Bin lady will never bin another cat again.

Then when the anger reaches the parents door they might just think about teaching their ferals how to treat animals.

OK it's kids I am overreacting, but how did they get to sick to think hurting an animal was ok.

Without the irony OP. You were restrained I'd have let rip. Well done to you.

bananasplitz · 01/08/2011 18:59

yes you are terribly unreasonable

maybe the cat was mean first

Hmm

what do you expect people to say for heavens sake

GypsyMoth · 01/08/2011 18:59

i would have had no qualms either!!

the local kids once found an injured bird....barely alive. i told them to leave it to go further into the hedgerow,as it was trying to hide. so they did (they wanted to keep it in a box) off they went,but later one of them went back and they watched him drag it out and stamp on itSad

that kid is now progressing to bullying kids,i see him do it and keep my dc away from him. i also tell his dad regularly as nobody else dare round here as he lost a child a few years back and is a single dad. people feel he has 'enough on his plate'. sorry,but once teen years hit,or once he reaches age 10,then he will be so out of control it will be too late!

GrimmaTheNome · 01/08/2011 19:01

YANBU, well done for managing to stay calm.

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 19:02

Banana - I wanted a wide variety of opinions as some people I am sure would think telling off someone else's DC isn't right no matter what.

OP posts:
Mitmoo · 01/08/2011 19:02

banana it's a high traffic area, anything goes. Grin I tend to park here when I am online.

GrimmaTheNome · 01/08/2011 19:03

Of course its right to tell off someone else's child if they are doing something totally unacceptable!

Mitmoo · 01/08/2011 19:04

ILT that is a pretty sick child, people would be helping the father to tell him, how can he deal with it if he doesn't know. That's twisted.

Original poster
Tsil · 01/08/2011 19:06

ILT - that is really sick and you are right to tell his dad. Possibly losing a sibling has never really been dealt with. Poor kid must be very messed up.

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 01/08/2011 19:10

mitmoo.....i know. he is always in trouble,but dad is a local legend and everyone wants to keep out of it. i dont. i tell him off frequently,but i just know he's going to be a nightmare teen....he has no empathy at ALL.